Quiz: Howstuffworks

How Much Do You Know About Snakes?

Annette

Image: Shutterstock

About This Quiz

Whether you think snakes are the stuff of nightmares or a bunch of slithering fun, you’ll be impressed with the rare qualities these cold-blooded creatures can display. Take this quiz right now, and you may surprise yourself by making interesting small talk about the wonderful world of snakes at your next get-together.

Snakes have been a major symbol throughout antiquity; you'll find its figure when perusing Egyptian history or studying the imagery in Hinduism. The Egyptians thought the snake was quite royal, while in Hinduism it represents mortality and rebirth. Why even today, if you've ever seen the World Health Organization or American Medical Association logo, you’ll note it has a snake wrapped around a rod, a symbol of the healing arts.

But what may impress you most, are the unusual qualities of snakes. With over 3,000 species on Earth, you'll find that some snakes can hold their breath for up to 10 minutes underwater. Some can “see” with their pits (one on each side of the head) which senses heat and are thought to render images of prey for the snakes' brains. Are you thirsting to learn more? Then take this snake trivia quiz right now and get sssssatisfied.

Snakes are covered in what?

Feathers

Scales

Gills

Snakes are covered in scales. The scales are actually quite beautiful. Snake skin is sometimes used for shoes and handbags.

A decapitated​ head of a snake can still do what?

Talk

Think

Bite

The decapitated head of a snake can still bite! Just know: if you cut its head off you still need to stay away.

Snakes are what sort of eaters?

Vegans

Vegetarians

Carnivores

Snakes are actually carnivores. That means that they're meat eaters. Keep snakes away from small children.

What is the term for a snake squeezing its prey?

Constriction

Mortification

The Death Grasp

Constriction is how snakes suffocate their prey and/or restrict blood flow. This is done by the boa constrictor, for one.

Snakes smell with their what?

Eyes

Noses

Tongues

Snakes actually smell with their tongues! They have those scary forked tongues that dart in and out.

Which of these is a water snake?

Anaconda

Rattler

Viper

The anaconda can hold its breath for up to 10 minutes under water. It also has special hunting skills while it's submerged.

How do snakes sleep?

They need a pillow

They keep their eyes open

They flip upside down

Snakes actually keep their eyes open when they sleep. That's incredibly, indescribably creepy.

Are there two-headed snakes?

No, it's just myth

Yes, they're quite popular

Yes, but they're rare

There are two-headed snakes, but they're quite rare. They're also entirely creepy.

A snake's teeth point which direction?

Forward

To the side

Backward

A snake's teeth actually point backward. This is to prevent prey from escaping! Some snakes have over 200 teeth.

On average, snakes usually live how many years?

1-2

4-25

50-100

Snakes can live 25 to 30 years, on average. This largely depends upon the breed of snake.

Do snakes chew food?

No

Yes

Depends on what they're ingesting

Snakes do not chew food. They swallow it whole! There have been snakes that have swallowed an entire person.

Where do anacondas call home?

South America

Africa

New Jersey

Anacondas are exceptionally large snakes that live in South America. Green anacondas can reach up to 29 feet long!

How many meals do snakes need to eat in a year to be healthy?

365

200-1,000

6-100

Snakes only need to eat 6-100 meals in a year to be healthy, depending on the type. Imagine how much easier our lives would be if that were the same for us.

What percentage of snakes are predators?

100%

50%

25%

All snakes are predators! There are more than 3,000 species of them on the earth.

Can venomous snakes commit suicide?

Hell no!

I hope not

Yes

Venemous snakes can actually bite themselves and die! Whether or not they do it on purpose, only God knows.

What is the world's longest venomous snake?

Anaconda

King cobra

Taipan

The king cobra is the world's longest venomous snake. It can grow up to 18 feet in length.

When do snakes stop growing?

After 1 year

After 10 years

They don't

Snakes actually never stop growing. The rate slows down, but they continue to get larger.

Snakes evolved from what?

Lizards

Dinosaurs

Humans

Snakes actually evolved from lizards, 100 million years ago. They used to have four legs!

What is the world's most venomous snake?

Inland taipan

Brown snake

Garden snake

The inland taipan is the world's most venomous snake. In reality, it is said to be a shy, rather reserved snake. Thank heavens.

How many times per year does a snake shed its skin?

Once

Twice

Multiple

A snake will actually shed its skin multiple times per year. This process usually lasts for a couple of days to two weeks.

Do snakes blink?

Yes

Only once a week

No

Snakes cannot blink because they don't have eyelids! That's why they have that devilish stare.

Are there flying snakes?

Hell no!

I hope not

Yes

In truth, there are flying snakes - sort of. They actually just free fall.

Snakes can eat prey that is how big?

Bigger than their heads

The size of their jaws

Half of their body circumference

Snakes can actually eat prey bigger than their heads! This is because they have flexible jaws.

Do snakes give birth to live young?

Never

All snakes give birth to live young

Some do

Most snakes lay eggs, but some give birth to live young. Rattlesnakes and garter snakes, for example, have live babies.

Which of these is among the world's most venomous snakes?

Inland taipan

Tiger snake

Eastern brown snake

All of the above

These are all some of the world's most venomous snakes. The list also includes the black tiger snake and the coastal taipan snake.

Throughout​ history, how have people thought about snakes?

With disdain

As symbols

With disregard

The snake has always had a lot of cultural meaning. The Egyptians thought the snake was quite royal, while in Hinduism it represents mortality and rebirth.

Which is the most intelligent snake?

King cobra

Python

Boa

The king cobra is considered to be the most intelligent snake. This species protects its young, unlike most other snakes.

The rattle of rattlesnakes is made of what?

Bone

Keratin

Scales

Rattles are made of keratin, as are human hair and nails. Whenever the snake sheds its skin it gets a new ring on its rattle!

Where do snakes NOT reside?

Ireland

Iceland

New Zealand

All of the above

Snakes actually live on every continent! But they don't live in Ireland, Iceland, New Zealand, or the North and South Poles.

How long will a snake have its fangs?

One day

One year

Mere weeks

A snake will really only have its fangs for 6-10 weeks. Once it loses them, it grows new ones.

How many snake species in the world can kill a human with one bite?

2

10

250

There are actually 250 species of snake that can kill a human with one bite. There are a total of 725 species of venomous snake.

Which are the longest snakes in the world?

Pythons

Anacondas

Rattlesnakes

Pythons are the longest snakes in the world. They can grow up to 28 feet long.

Where are a snake's ears?

Outside their bodies

Inside their bodies

They have no ears

Snakes have internal ears. Snakes used for snake charming respond to movement and not sound.

What do snakes use to ward off predators?

Spray

Spit

Poop

Snake poop actually smells bad! This wards off predators. There are some humans in New York City that do this too.

Why do humans fear snakes?

We're taught to

We're predisposed

Because of ignorance

We're actually predisposed to fear snakes, according to scientists. In fact, fearing snakes is a good idea.

Sponsored Links

About HowStuffWorks Play

How much do you know about dinosaurs? What is an octane rating? And how do you use a proper noun? Lucky for you, HowStuffWorks Play is here to help. Our award-winning website offers reliable, easy-to-understand explanations about how the world works. From fun quizzes that bring joy to your day, to compelling photography and fascinating lists, HowStuffWorks Play offers something for everyone. Sometimes we explain how stuff works, other times, we ask you, but we’re always exploring in the name of fun! Because learning is fun, so stick with us!

Get smarter every day! Subscribe & get 1 quiz every week.

Playing quizzes is free! We send trivia questions and personality tests every week to your inbox. By
clicking "Sign Up" you are agreeing to our
privacy policy and confirming that you are 13
years old or over.